Fiber Optics

Fiber Broadband Association brings fiber broadband education to rural North Carolina communities

Partnering with broadband internet provider Fybe, the two organizations will leverage the OpTIC Path course to produce a pipeline of expertly-trained fiber broadband technicians that will connect rural communities to high-quality fiber broadband networks.

Lumos begins 600-mile fiber optic expansion in Clayton, N.C.

(UI) — Lumos broke ground in Clayton, North Carolina, marking the initiation of its construction process for a 600-mile, 100% fiber optic internet network. This expansion ensures that thousands of homes and small businesses in Clayton will gain access to Lumos' ultra-fast internet.

Crisis strikes West Virginia as fiber optic lines hit by vandalism, winter storm disrupts emergency phone services

Frontier Communications spokesperson Chrissy Murray said its fiber optic lines experienced two cuts in northern West Virginia, one involving copper vandalism and the other due to damage related to a winter storm.

Fiber Broadband Association program selected as primary fiber optic training for Job Corps.

The OpTIC Path program provides an in-depth training course that can be delivered by schools, colleges, training centers, and employers to develop the talent needed to safely and efficiently deploy fiber networks and connect communities to high-performance broadband.

Metronet installs over 170 miles of fiber optic infrastructure in North Carolina with $70 million investment

Metronet has officially declared the City of Fayetteville a Certified Gigabit City Powered by Metronet after the company’s ultra-high-speed, multi-gigabit fiber optic network became accessible to a majority of households and businesses throughout the city.

Kinetic to lay over 440 miles of fiber optic cables in Colquitt County

Kinetic will use about $21.4 million in state grant money from the federal government. The company will invest $11.1 million and cover any cost overruns.

Fiber Broadband Association to develop telecom workforce by linking technicians to potential employers

FBA members and Learning Alliance partners can leverage Talent Link to gain a direct pathway to certified fiber technicians who are qualified to safely and efficiently build the fiber broadband networks that many communities still need.

Wisconsin's $42 million broadband infrastructure grant sees overwhelming demand

Gov. Tony Evers and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) have announced that the Wisconsin Broadband Office received 124 applications requesting $221.6 million for the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program.

FCC adopts rules to eliminate ‘digital discrimination’ for communities with poor internet access

Poorer neighborhoods were found to have received lower investment in broadband infrastructure and offered worse deals for internet service than comparatively higher-income areas. That inequity in access “was especially pronounced during the pandemic,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.

Mediacom completes fiber optic broadband network expansion in Sussex County, Del.

(UI) — Mediacom Communications has announced the completion of construction to bring ultra-high-speed broadband to underserved areas of southern Sussex County. More than 1,500 homes and businesses in the south-central section of the county now have access to broadband download speeds as fast as 2-gigabits-per-second.

Fiber Broadband Association, NTCA release complete Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0

Playbook 3.0 combines four deep-dive modules that aim to help state broadband offices as they make decisions on key aspects of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and complete their initial proposals for NTIA review before a December 27 deadline.

InfoWest acquires assets of SunRiver Fiber Network

(UI) — InfoWest Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Boston Omaha Corp., has completed the acquisition of all of SunRiver Fiber Network's assets from Cable Systems of Nevada.

Mainstream Fiber Networks plans rapid Indiana fiber-optic expansion with Searchlight Capital investment

The investment is anticipated to create numerous job opportunities across the state as Mainstream expands service to new markets.

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company to acquire Horizon Telecom for $385 million

Horizon’s unique 7,200 route-mile fiber network is the largest and most dense network across its footprint with over 9,000 on-net locations.

Verizon deploys over 200 miles of fiber in Delaware six months ahead of schedule

Nearly 2,000 homes and businesses in Camden, Dover, Smyrna, Bridgeville and Ocean View now have access to high-speed internet.

altafiber to bring fiber optic network to 65,000 new addresses across Ohio

altafiber has invested more than $1.5 billion into its fiber network to date, reaching approximately 730,000 addresses.

Lumos to invest $100 million in South Carolina fiber optic expansion

As a result of this expansion, Lumos will be the first fiber provider to families, households, and businesses throughout portions of the Greenville market, establishing underserved areas of South Carolina for economic success in the future.

Montana telecom completes $11 million, 380-mile fiber cable burial project

(UI) — Blackfoot Communications, headquartered in Missoula, has recently celebrated the successful culmination of a six-year endeavor, entailing an $11 million investment, to install more than 380 miles of cutting-edge fiber optic cable within the Flathead Reservation vicinity around St. Ignatius, according to Government Technology.

Tachus to invest $100 million in Texas fiber optic network expansion

(UI) — Tachus Fiber Internet, a Texas-based provider, has unveiled plans to inject $100 million into expanding its state-of-the-art XGS Fiber Network. The network is set to revolutionize internet connectivity, offering ultra-fast multi-gig speeds to both homes and businesses in the Southwest Houston region.

IQ Fiber begins construction on $40 million fiber-optic network in Gainesville, Fla.

(UI) — IQ Fiber, North Florida’s only local residential fiber-optic internet service provider, has commenced construction on its 100% fiber-optic network in Northwest Gainesville and Alachua County. IQ Fiber’s initial Phase 1 investment is estimated at $40 million.

Lumos Fiber brings fiber optic network to underserved homes in North Carolina

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) awarded over $80 million in grants to private companies, including Lumos, to provide underserved households and businesses across 33 N.C. counties with high-speed internet.

AT&T fiber optic cable vandalism sparks investigation in Tuolumne County, Calif.

(UI) — The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office is actively seeking assistance from the public regarding a recent act of vandalism that occurred on Aug. 30, resulting in a widespread disruption of cell service throughout Tuolumne County, California.

Governor unveils $386 million investment for high-speed internet in Kentucky

Looking to close its digital divide, Kentucky will use a $386 million investment to expand access to high-speed internet to more than 42,600 homes and businesses, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday.

Gateway Fiber brings fiber optic network to Missouri with $25 million grant

Marthasville, Mo. became the first community to benefit from the $25 million American Rescue Plan Act grant awarded to Gateway Fiber, through a partnership with the state of Missouri, to bring its 100% fiber optic internet service to the area.

Penn State research uncovers fiber optic cable's role in early sinkhole detection

(UI) — Recent research conducted by a Penn State geosciences associate professor suggests that existing fiber optic cables beneath the University Park campus could serve as a means to predict sinkhole occurrences.

Fiber Broadband Association honors industry leaders at Fiber Connect 2023

This year, Brendan O’Boyle from Preformed Line Products (PLP) won the 2023 Photon Award, and Northern Colorado Community Fiber won the 2023 Star Award. S&N Communications won the Gene Scott Education Award, and Stephen Hardy won the Fiber Lifetime Achievement Award.

Great Plains Communications expands fiber network to underserved Indiana communities

The company will utilize Next Level Connections (NLC) Broadband Grant Program funding to expand their network to reach more homes and business in specific unserved areas of Southeastern Indiana.

Fiber Broadband Association President wins 2023 Chairman’s Award for advancing fiber deployments across U.S.

Among many FBA successes to date, Gary Bolton’s leadership has expanded fiber broadband’s public policy influence, workforce development initiatives, FBA’s research library, and FBA membership—more than doubling it in less than three years.

Caltech research reveals underground fiber optic cables as effective earthquake detectors

(UI) — In California, a network of underground fiber optic cables serves as a vital internet connectivity conduit. However, a Caltech study showed that these underground cables could function as earthquake sensors, detecting and quantifying seismic activity.

OFS launches fiber solutions program to install broadband across the country

Manufacturing facilities in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey enable OFS to support the goals of both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build America Buy America Act.